Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo has asked the Sandiganbayan Second Division to order his graft case back to the Office of the Ombudsman for proper preliminary investigation.

In making the request, Mr. Arroyo, through his defense lawyer Edna Batacan, claimed the Ombudsman prematurely charged him.

Batacan on Tuesday said the resolution indicting Arroyo (along with some retired and active Philippine National Police officials) for graft was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on May 30, 2012.
 
“Under Section 7 (a), Rule II, of the Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman, accused Arroyo has five days from receipt of the Ombudsman Resolution to file a Motion for Reconsideration,” Batacan pointed out.
 
But the case, she said, was filed before the Sandiganbayan on June 6, even as the defendant received his copy of the resolution on June 11.
 
Charged along with Mr. Arroyo were Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp (Maptra) president Hilario de Vera and 20 retired and active police officers led by former PNP Director General Jesus A. Verzosa and former Deputy Director General for Operations Jefferson P. Soriano.
 
They were accused for supposedly conspiring in the fraudulent sale to the PNP of two second-hand choppers allegedly passed off as brand-new and a brand-new unit priced at P104.98 million.

The sale was done in separate transactions in 2009 and 2010.
 
The choppers, consisting of two units of standard Robinson R44 Raven I and one unit of fully-equipped Robinson R44 Raven II, were allegedly overpriced by P34.63 million.
 
Arroyo has denied allegations that he was involved in an attempt to defraud the PNP and has posted bail bonds amounting to P30,000 for his temporary liberty while the case is pending in court. — LBG, GMA News